UConn clinches Big East

Posted March 03, 2008 10:00 pm

Associated Press

Renee Montgomery scored 21 points and Maya Moore 19 to help top-ranked Connecticut beat No. 4 Rutgers 66-46 Monday night at Hartford, Conn.

Tina Charles added 15 points and 17 rebounds for the Huskies, who won their second straight Big East championship and 13th in the last 15 seasons.

"I feel this one more for the players," Auriemma said. "It's something I really wanted them to have."

Connecticut (29-1, 15-1) earned the top seed in the conference tournament that starts Saturday. Rutgers (24-5, 14-2) will be the No. 2 seed. Both teams have first-round byes and don't play until the quarterfinals Sunday.

St. John's 61, Notre Dame 51: Kia Wright scored 14 points and feisty, undersized St. John's (16-13, 7-9 Big East) stunned No. 9 Notre Dame (23-7, 11-5). Ashley Barlow had 18 points for the Irish.

Syracuse 73, West Virginia 51: Erica Morrow scored a season-high 25 points as host Syracuse (22-7, 10-6 Big East) beat No. 14 West Virginia (23-6, 12-4).